Animals, medium and large sizes.

Characteristics of the genus real bulls

Animals of large size. The withers are not high and are not raised in the form of a hump. The spinous processes of the first thoracic vertebrae are slightly elongated compared to others. The height at the rump is only slightly less than the height at the withers, and sometimes equal to the latter. There is no dewlap of long hair on the underside of the neck and head.

The skull is relatively narrow and elongated in length. The eye sockets protrude moderately to the sides. The greatest width of the skull is less than 60% of the main length of the skull. The frontal surface, except for the postorbital constriction, has the shape of an elongated rectangle, its width in front of the bases of the horn rods is approximately equal to the width of the forehead in the region of the orbits. The postorbital width of the forehead (at the narrowest point between the horns and the orbits) is less than the maximum width of the skull at the zygomatic arches. The posterior margin of the forehead, in the form of a well-developed ridge, protrudes strongly backward and is sharply demarcated from the parietal surface of the skull. The latter does not take part at all in the formation of the roof of the brain box. The dorsal surface of the posthorn skull is pushed back, placed at an acute angle to the plane of the forehead and at an obtuse angle to the plane of the occiput, hanging over the latter. When looking at the skull from above, the posterior exits of the temporal cavities are not visible. The distance between them is greater than the distance between the outer edges of the occipital condyles. The horns extend from the posterior corners of the forehead along the edges of the interhorn ridge (in a living, calmly standing animal at the very top of the head). The distance between the orbit and the base of the horn process is much greater than the diameter of the orbit. The cross section of the horn processes approaches round, but is always noticeably flattened at the bases in the dorsoventral direction. Longitudinal ribs (keels) on the surface of the horn rods, in contrast to a number of other genera of the subfamily, are absent.

There are 13 thoracic vertebrae and 13 pairs of ribs in the skeleton.

Habitat and distribution of real bulls

The roots of the genus real bulls lead to the genus Urmiabos Bartscti., known from the Lower Pliocene fauna of Maraga in Iranian Azerbaijan and possessing a set of features that allow us to consider it an ancestral form not only for bulls, but also for yaks (Poephagus Gray). Remains, obviously related to the genus Bos, appear only in the Upper Pliocene. At that time, the long-horned B. acutifrons Lyd. lived in India, which still had a poorly developed interhorn ridge. Remains of the same geological age, leaving no doubt that they belong to the genus of bulls, are known from northern Africa.

The time of the initial appearance of tours in Europe is not known for certain, but, apparently, they penetrated here through Malaya and Central Asia also no later than the Upper Pliocene or Lower Pleistocene. N. Vassoevich, among other finds from the Lower Quaternary deposits of the Taman Peninsula, mentions the horn process of Bos. However, no description of this horn process was given, its location is currently unknown, and there is no certainty that it belonged to a bull, and not to a primitive bison found in the Taman fauna.

The remains of real bulls are known from the pre-glacial quarter of the lower Volga and from the Pliocene or Upper Pliocene deposits of the river. Psekupsa in the North Caucasus.

The range of the genus Bos was very extensive. At one time, aurochs inhabited, in addition to northern Africa, most of Eurasia, including the British Isles and southern Sweden. To the north, the distribution area extended to 57-60 ° N. sh. In contrast to the primitive bison, primitive bulls never entered the territory of the New World. Apparently, there were none in Ireland either.

Classification of the genus real bulls

The taxonomy of the genus Bos is confused. A significant number of forms are described, sometimes taken as subspecies, sometimes as independent species. V. I. Gromova made a thorough revision of the genus, and reduced all the variety of Quaternary forms of aurochs to two species: the large glacial Bos trochoceros Meyer and its somewhat smaller descendant, the Late Pleistocene and Holocene B. primigenius Boj. The latter existed on the territory of Central and Eastern Europe, and possibly also Central and Asia Minor already in historical times and finally died out at the beginning of the 17th century. N. I. Burchak described from the Upper Pleistocene fauna of the Binagads on the Apsheron Peninsula (Wurms) the new kind the bull B. mastan-zadei Burtsch., craniologically close to the Pleistocene Indian species B. namadicus Falc. However, the species independence of the form described by N. I. Burchak is questionable, since V. I. Gromova takes B. namadicus only as a subspecies of B. trochoceros.

Findings of remains of diluvial aurochs (Bos trochoceros) in Europe are rare.

The issue of dwarf forms of aurochs remains controversial and unclear: B. longifrons Ow., B. minutus Malsb., B. brachyceros europaeus Adam. The dimensions of the skull in these forms in some cases do not exceed those of the skulls of small races of livestock. However, belonging to the latter is ruled out in some cases by the geological age of the finds, in others by the morphological features of the dwarf aurochs. Some researchers take small skulls for the skulls of females B. primigenius Boj. However, it should be borne in mind that some of the finds of dwarf aurochs are of Pleistocene age. Consequently, even if we accept the strongly pronounced sexual dimorphism in size in aurochs, it is difficult to recognize these finds as the skulls of females, while the skulls of diluvial males are gigantic.

Within Europe, the remains of dwarf tours were found in Armenia in the bottom sediments of Lake. Sevan and in the river basin. Ural. The question of the systematic position of pygmy aurochs is important in connection with the problem of the origin of certain groups of domestic cattle.

At present, the genus real bulls is represented only by the domestic form, cattle B. taurus L., but already in historical times, the primitive bull, or tour B. primigenius Bojanus, was found in the wild on the territory of the USSR.

Infraclass - placental

Subfamily - bulls

Narodrod - bulls and buffaloes

Genus - real bulls

Literature:

1. I.I. Sokolov "Fauna of the USSR, Ungulate animals" Publishing house of the Academy of Sciences, Moscow, 1959.

Evolution is an amazing mechanism invented by nature. Thanks to her, thousands of species of animals were born, very similar to each other, but at the same time having hundreds of differences. The wild bull is also no exception, because its family includes many subspecies.

These proud animals live in almost all corners of the Representatives wild bulls can be found in the desert savannahs of Africa, and in the snowy expanses of Tibet. What do we know about these animals? Why are they special? And why is their fate considered one of the most tragic on the planet?

The sad fate of the horned giant

Once upon a time in the open modern Europe there was a wild bull tour. It was a majestic beast, weighing just under a ton. His horns were made to tremble in fear of numerous enemies, with the exception of man. Indeed, it is thanks to the latter that this type of wild bulls has not survived to our times.

The wild bull tour was a good source of meat and skin, because of this, it was on him. And given the slowness of the beast, even the weakest hunter could kill him. According to historical data, the last tour died in 1627. And yet the memory of him has not disappeared, because it is this mighty handsome man who is the ancestor of almost all known species bulls, including domestic ones.

Bison is the closest relative of the aurochs

One of the most tour is bison. This is a large animal, reaching almost 2 m at the withers. At the same time, the weight of the giant sometimes exceeds the limit of one ton, which makes it one of the largest representatives of its species. The bison has a dark brown coat, which is able to warm it in severe frosts.

Previously, this wild bull lived throughout the territory of modern Europe, Russia, and also in the Caucasus. But, as in the case with often attacked by people. This led to the fact that the number of bison declined sharply, and at the beginning of the 20th century they found themselves on the verge of complete extinction.

They were saved from oblivion by environmental organizations that undertook to restore the bison population. They placed these animals in reserves, where they are still under close supervision and protection.

Wild bulls of North America

Another relative of the tour, but this time overseas, is the bison. This wild forest bull lives in the territory North America and its appearance strongly resembles a bison. True, the hair of a bison is much longer than that of its relative, and sometimes reaches 50 cm in length.

And yet, as in the case of the aurochs, this wild bull was also subjected to tyranny by man. So, if at the beginning of the 19th century their population numbered more than 60 million heads, then a century later this number fell to the mark of 1 thousand. What was the reason for this? The answer is simple - immigrants.

The new colonialists began to kill animals in order to feed the workers who built the railroad tracks. A little later, buffalo hunting began to look more like fun than foraging. There were even actions, according to which, those who bought train tickets could shoot from the windows at poor animals.

Fortunately, over time, people came to their senses, at least some of them. The bison were taken under protection and provided them with all the necessary conditions for the growth of the population. Now this wild bull is safe, but still environmentalists continue to closely monitor their numbers.

In the cold mountains of Tibet

The snow-capped mountains of Tibet have served as a haven for one of the most amazing animals - the yak. This is a wild bull with huge horns that reach 80 cm in length. thick brown wool protects it from frost and snowfalls. And muscular legs allow you to move from one cliff to another without any problems.

And although the yak can be found in other regions Central Asia, such as Altai and Kyrgyzstan, yet only in Tibet do these animals feel at home. After all, here their contact with a person is minimized, which means that nothing threatens their freedom.

Hot country lovers: gaur and buffalo

On the territory of India lives gaur - a wild bull, striking in its size. Cases have been recorded when adults reached a weight of 1.3-1.4 tons. The height of an adult animal ranges from 1.8-2.2 m at the withers. The gaur's horns are not too large, at least smaller than those of relatives. The coat has a dark brown color, and with age it darkens and becomes almost black.

Another hot climate lover is the buffalo. This animal lives in where the temperature sometimes exceeds the threshold of 40 degrees in the shade. This animal has strong horns, almost fused at the bottom.

And although this wild bull has an impressive size, it still has enemies among the local inhabitants. Lions and crocodiles often prey on them, and yet the population of these animals is out of danger.

The smallest wild bull

Among wild bulls there are also dwarfs. For example, anoa. This tiny creature has a height of 0.8-1 m. At the same time, its weight ranges from 150-300 kilograms. The smallest part of the body is the horns. In Anoa, they reach only 30-40 cm in length.

These bulls live on what in Indonesia. Since these animals are found only here, they are under protection. World Organization for the protection of animal rights.

Under the phrase "wild bull" several varieties of these beautiful undomesticated animals are combined. We will talk about the most interesting of them in today's publication.

Anoa

These small animals belonging to the bovid family are conventionally divided into two groups - mountain and plain. Both of them live in the forests of the island of Sulawesi. But the former inhabit the higher regions, while the latter live in the lowlands. Outwardly, they are very similar to each other. They can only be distinguished by their horns. In lowland anoas they are triangular, while in mountain ones they are round. The body length of this wild bull is about 170 centimeters with a height not exceeding 80 cm. The mass of adults varies from 150 to 300 kilograms. The entire almost hairless body of the anoa is painted black or brown.

The basis of the diet of these herbivores is fruits, ginger, aquatic plants, leaves and young trees. As for drinking, they calmly consume not only fresh, but also salty sea water. Anoa are very cautious and rarely move alone. Most often they can be seen in pairs, and sometimes they even gather in a few herds.

Gaur

These are the largest representatives of the genus of real bulls. They live in grassy plains and mountain forests. Most often they can be found in Malaysia, Cambodia, Thailand, India and southern Vietnam. Gauras come out to the plains and forest edges only to feast on fresh grass. In all other cases, they stay away from open areas.

The height of an adult is 2.2 meters with a mass of about 1000-1200 kilograms. In addition to impressive dimensions, gauras have a properly folded, harmonious body. Oddly enough, but this huge wild bull is distinguished by a calm, balanced disposition. It has practically no natural enemies.

The body of the gaur is covered with dark brown hair. And the males have white “stockings” on their legs. The feeling of power is achieved not only due to the impressive appearance, but also due to the presence of massive long horns, each of which grows up to 90-115 centimeters. The basis of the diet of these animals is shrub shoots, bamboo seedlings and young grass. They are most active in the morning and evening hours.

Watussi

These ancient animals originated from the primitive aurochs. They inhabit savannas and open fields. Despite the fact that their historical homeland is Africa, they quickly spread throughout the world. The weight of an adult individual ranges from 400-750 kilograms. And the total length of the horns of a wild bull, pierced by numerous blood vessels, is about 2.4 meters.

These animals are unpretentious in everything related to food. Special structure digestive system allows watussi to consume even very coarse food, which has a low nutritional value. The stomach of these creatures is able to absorb nutrients from everything eaten. This wild bull leads a herd life and is distinguished by a developed instinct for protecting young animals. Settling down for the night, watussi fit into a circle, in the center of which all the calves are driven.

Yak

This unique animal is capable of climbing to dizzying heights. It never descends below two and a half kilometers above sea level. The higher the yak climbs, the better he feels. It is often referred to as the long-haired wild bull. It lives in Turkmenistan, Mongolia and Tibet.

Outwardly, the yak is very similar to several animals at once. It resembles a ram, a goat, a horse and a bison at the same time. For a fluffy tail and beautiful rounded shapes, it is often compared to a horse. Its muscular body strongly resembles the body of a bison, and a massive head with huge horns gives it a resemblance to a bull.

Yak hunting is a very dangerous activity. In addition to the fact that a person will have to master the skills of a climber, he must also try to kill a powerful animal with a single shot. A wounded wild bull in anger is able to destroy an unlucky hunter.

Despite the formidable nature of the yak, they managed to tame it. There are already large herds of these animals in Mongolia and Tibet. They are often used to transport heavy loads. One yak is capable of carrying a two-hundred-kilogram burden.

bison

This artiodactyl animal is on the verge of extinction, so it was listed in the Red Books of the countries in which it lives. The height of an adult wild forest bull is about 192 centimeters with a mass of 450-640 kilograms. The weight of individual individuals can reach 820 kg.

The whole life of bison is directly connected with the forest and relatively mild climate. He has an excellent sense of smell and hearing. They are able to detect the smell of a person from a distance of five hundred feet.

Bison lead a herd life, straying into groups of up to twenty individuals. The basis of their plant foods. They successfully winter in areas where the snow cover is up to fifty centimeters high. Bison have no natural enemies other than humans. And their life expectancy in the wild is about twenty-seven years.

Wild bull tour

In historical times, these animals could be found almost throughout Europe. They also lived in Asia Minor, North Africa and the Caucasus. Their disappearance is associated with intensive deforestation, which began in the 9th-11th centuries. In addition, it was during this period that they were actively hunted. When the animals were on the verge of extinction, they were taken under the protection of the law. They lived in royal parks. But, unfortunately, this did not save them from extinction. The last tour on the planet was destroyed in 1627.

The growth of the extinct animal reached 180-200 centimeters at the withers with a mass of about 600-800 kilograms. However, in nature there were individuals weighing a whole ton. Outwardly, the tour gave the impression of a fairly light animal. He had a not too massive front part of the body, huge horns and high dry limbs. The body of the extinct bull was covered with short, smooth, dark hair.

Tours fed mainly on shoots, grass, leaves of shrubs and trees. They lived alone or in small groups, and for the winter united in numerous herds. These aggressive and powerful bulls easily dealt with any predators, so they had practically no natural enemies.

The meaning of the word BISON in the Big Modern Explanatory Dictionary of the Russian Language

A large animal of the bovid family with long soft hair; wild North American bull.

Large modern explanatory dictionary of the Russian language. 2012

North American bison

This is the most famous variety of wild animals of this species. Before European colonizers arrived in North America, more than 600 million wild bison roamed the open prairies of the continent. In a very short time, their number was reduced to 835 individuals. Thanks to environmental protection measures and the creation of protected areas, their number is gradually being restored. Their population has already reached about 30 thousand individuals. An adult healthy bison is very large in size.

The animal can reach approximately 2.5 m at the withers and exceed 3 m in length. There is a characteristic hump on the back. The head is elongated. She is very massive. The head, neck and part of the back are covered with thick woolly mane. Bulls can reach a weight of about 1500 kg. A healthy adult has virtually no natural enemies. Wolves that are found on the plains where these ungulates live prefer to attack young, sick or old individuals who have strayed from the herd in a pack. Such buffalo usually cannot offer violent resistance. The diet of these ungulates throughout the year may include;

forbs;
lichens;
young branches and foliage;
seaweed.

polar animal fox

This subspecies of the wild bull is an excellent swimmer, so it can even cross large rivers during the migrations that animals carry out while searching for food. These creatures have very strong hooves, so they can dig their food even from under deep snow.

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Majestic European bison

These are real bulls that trace their pedigree from the time when mammoths roamed the snowy plains. American varieties of such animals and bison have common roots. And now between these species there is much in common. At present, the number of these majestic creatures reaches only about 7 thousand heads. They live mainly in European reserves, including Belovezhskaya Pushcha. Here these large animals eat forbs and young shoots. The Belovezhskaya bull differs from its North American counterpart not only in its name, but also in some anatomical features.

These are real bulls that trace their pedigree from the time when mammoths roamed the snowy plains.

The body length of the animal can reach about 3 m, and the height is about 2 m. A bull usually weighs about 1 ton, and a cow - up to 800 kg. These animals have well-developed muscles. The head is relatively small. Bulls, as a rule, have large horns, rounded in the shape of a crescent. These creatures usually live in herds of up to 50 individuals. The dominant position in a strict hierarchy is occupied by a large male. Like many types of bulls that live in the wild, the creatures are perfectly adapted to their natural environment. They can withstand even severe frosts, overcome obstacles up to 2 m and swim across large rivers.

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Resurrection of the forest bull

Some large representatives of the bovid family are now completely extinct. For example, the last wild forest bull disappeared from natural environment in 1967, although domesticated representatives of this species have survived quite successfully to this day. It is believed that the cause of the extinction of these animals was the massive deforestation and the emergence of new diseases. The wild forest bull has failed to adapt to the changing ecosystem.

The species began to disappear almost everywhere, even in protected areas created for its conservation.

They were real giant bulls. Their weight exceeded 1000 kg. The color of the males was black with a characteristic white stripe along the ridge. The height of an adult animal was about 180 cm at the withers. The cow was somewhat smaller. She had a brownish-brown coat color. This wild bull with huge horns easily made his way even through dense forest thickets. Animals were kept in small herds of 50 individuals. They could eat a wide variety of vegetation.

Currently, scientists from the Ostwarderspasse nature reserve, which is located in the Netherlands, have recreated a wild forest bull, called Heka. These animals outwardly very much resemble those ungulates that became extinct more than 4 centuries ago. The modern wild forest bull is only going through a period of adaptation. A whole herd of such animals has already been bred, but they are under the scrutiny of scientists. The modern wild forest bull is not yet fully accustomed to natural conditions, but work is underway on this. It is assumed that such animals will continue to live without human intervention.

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Indian zebu

These representatives of the bovid family are found exclusively in tropical and subtropical latitudes. The Indian bull zebu is in no way connected with tours and forms its own separate subspecies. Some individuals have been domesticated and are currently used not only to obtain high-quality milk and meat, but also as draft animals.

This wild bull of India often crosses with tamed buffaloes.

In some cases, wild individuals can lead herds of females from pastures if people do not pay enough attention to grazing and control the animals. The bulls of this breed are distinguished by great strength and nasty character. Their weight reaches approximately 600-800 kg. This forest bull from India has a smooth, short coat. The body and legs are usually light gray, while the neck and head are dark. There is a distinct hump on the back.

The ancestor of the domesticated cow is the wild bull tour, which, according to scientists, existed on the planet more than 7,000 years ago. This type of livestock began to actively spread in the household during the early Neolithic, following sheep, pigs and goats. Later, people began to breed other types of cattle. Initially, only meat was valued wild cows and bulls, but as it develops Agriculture people began to use cattle as a draft force.

Description of the first ancestor of the modern cow

The first domesticated tours were incredibly hardy and productive. They had very long and massive horns.

Initially, a wild bull with huge horns served as a carrier of oversized cargo between the countries of Europe, Africa, Asia Minor and the Caucasus. The appearance of the wild ancestor of cattle had the following data:

a muscular animal reached a mass of 800 kg;
height could vary from 170 to 180 cm;
males had a characteristic black coloration with a narrow strip of white tint along the back;
calves and adult females had a brown coat color with a reddish tint.

The diet of ancient aurochs consisted of shoots, leaves of shrubs and trees, as well as a variety of forest grass. Animals preferred to gather in small groups or live alone, and only in winter could gather in herds.

The last tour died in 1627.

North American bison

North America is home to the largest herbivorous species of wild cattle, the North American bison. This animal reaches a height of 2 m and a length of 3 m.

The anterior part of the body is expressed most massively, and the posterior part is characterized by poorly developed muscle mass. The head and part of the back of the animal are framed with felted wool. Bison have large horns, which are developed in each individual in their own way. Most often, the bison is characterized by a black color, but brown, gray or white representatives can be found.

North American bison are divided into steppe and forest bison. Steppe wild bulls are much smaller than forest bulls, have a thicker coat and horns covered with bangs.

North American individuals love space, so they choose forest plains and glades for existence, which transmit light as much as possible. Adult bison weigh over a ton. Female individuals, although they have massive dimensions, do not reach such a weight.

European bison

This type of cattle is difficult to distinguish from the North American representatives, but looking closely, you can see the characteristic key points of their appearance. The European bison is endowed with a well-defined head against the background of the body and a square figure with a brownish color.

The body length of the bison reaches 3 m, height - 2 m. The animal has a dark brown coat. Male individuals are distinguished by a pronounced mane.

The European bison is endowed with excellent hearing and scent, swims and jumps excellently. Its life span is 30 to 40 years.

In ancient times, in the meadows and pastures one could observe the Caucasian subspecies of European cattle, which was distinguished by a pronounced curly and thick coat.

Today, European reserves contain Bialowieza individuals, which are the only descendants of the ancient European bison. In nature, this subspecies is protected International Union Nature Protection.

Yak - a wild bull with massive horns

This subspecies of cattle is difficult to study, as it prefers to live away from people. To date, yaks can only be found in highland Tibet, but there are very few of them left here. They prefer to stay in close-knit groups or settle in small families. Old individuals choose a solitary lifestyle.

The fierce and strong yak has a long and shaggy coat that completely covers its legs. Animals can have a different color, but individuals are more common brown or black with a grayish tint, with white markings on the head.

chief hallmark This type of cattle is a characteristic hump on the back.

Male wild bulls reach 2 m in height and 4 m in length. Female individuals have a length of 2.8 m, their height does not exceed 1.6 m. The horns of both sexes are very long (reach up to 95 cm). From the base of the growth, they are directed in opposite directions, as they become elongated, they smoothly bend and become cup-shaped. A yak can live 25 years.

Tamarau and Anoa

Tamarau belongs to the genus of Asian buffaloes. Endowed with small stature and short horns. In height, the animal reaches 106 cm, in length - 220 cm, while its weight can range from 180 to 300 kg. Color black to dark brown.

The tamarau is an endangered species of buffalo. In captivity, these animals cannot breed, so their numbers are noticeably reduced. They prefer a solitary lifestyle in forest areas, but cows and calves live together until the latter reach independence. Tamarau are under the strictest protection.

The anoa bull is considered the smallest representative of cattle. The weight of a male individual does not exceed 300 kg, female - 150 kg. The length of the body is not more than 160 cm, in height - 80 cm. These are hairless animals with a dark skin of brown or black color. Just like the tamarau, the anoa are endangered and protected by law. From 1079 to 1994, the Anoa population decreased by 90%.

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Few people think when they see a modern cow, where did it come from, and who was its progenitor. Let us consider from what species of animals it originated, and how animals of the cattle species have changed over time.

Tur - the extinct wild ancestor of the domestic cow

All cows and bulls descended from already extinct primitive representatives of wild cattle - bulls of tours. These animals lived for a very long time, but when people began to interfere in their habitat, namely to cut down the forests where they lived, these bulls became less and less.
The last tour was seen in 1627, it was then that this species ceased to exist. Interestingly, the last representatives died due to diseases due to weak genetic heredity.

During its existence, the tour was the largest representative of the ungulate species. Scientific research and historical documents give an accurate description of these animals:

height - up to 2 m;
weight - not less than 800 kg;
body structure is muscular;
on the head are large pointed horns, they grew up to 100 cm;
hump on the shoulders;
color dark color with a brown tint.

Tours lived in the steppe zones. They lived in herds, with the main being the female. They were both calm and aggressive animals that were able to cope with any predator. Tours were herbivores and left only bright memories of themselves.

Wild bulls of our time

Today in nature there are many modern descendants of aurochs. Let's consider what distinctive features each species has, as well as where they live and what they eat.

Bison is the most big beast modern fauna of Europe. This representative of cattle has the following external characteristics:

body length in an adult representative ranges from 230–350 cm;
the height of the withers reaches 2 m;
skull length - 50 cm;
the neck is short and thick;
live weight - up to 1 t;
massive physique;
the front is much more developed than the back;
the tail grows in length up to 60 cm;
uniform brown color.

The modern bison is a descendant of the primitive bison priscus, which lived in Eurasia. At first, the distribution of bison was noted in vast territories: from the Iberian Peninsula to Western Siberia, also capturing the southern part of Scandinavia and England. Now in Europe there are only two main subspecies: the European plains and the Caucasian bison.

Important! Today, these animals can be found in thirty countries, where they live both in the wild and in pens. The main habitats are broad-leaved, deciduous and even mixed coniferous-deciduous forests, as well as meadows with developed grass cover.

Food for these animals is everything that they find in the forest or on the edges. Throughout the year, animals need tree food. They willingly eat different kind willows, hornbeam, aspen and many other trees, namely their parts: leaves, bark and thin branches.

There are eight centers in Belarus that breed a subpopulation of the European bison. There are two regions in Russia where these animals can be found today: the North Caucasus and the center of the European part.

The bison is one of those animals, from the meeting with which a shiver runs through the skin. Its size is huge, and the view is impressive. In addition, the North American bison is endowed with the following characteristics:

body length - up to 3 m;
height at the withers reaches 2 m;
the head is massive, the forehead is wide;
on both sides of the head there are short horns, they diverge to the sides, while the ends are bent inward;
the neck is massive and short;
there is a hump on the nape;
the front is much more massive than the back;
the weight of males is about 1.2 tons;
females are slightly smaller - a maximum of 700 kg;
legs strong and squat;
the tail is short, there is a tassel at the end;
excellent hearing and sense of smell;
the body is covered with gray hair with a brown tint;
on the head, chest and beard, the hair is darker and longer, which gives the buffalo more volume.

These animals appeared on the territory of modern southern Europe. Later they spread throughout Eurasia and even North America. The first bulls were 2 times larger than theirs modern representatives. They live in huge herds of up to 20 thousand individuals.
Leadership in the herd is given to several old males. In the wild, their life expectancy is 20 years. Today in nature there are two subspecies: forest and steppe.

To expand the range of bison, they were relocated to several regions of North America. Today they live in Northwestern Canada, in the province British Columbia. In the wild, North American bison is listed in the Red Book as a species that is on the verge of extinction. On farms, they are grown for commercial use.

Yak

Yaks are native to Tibet. These are solitary pack animals that live in the wild in small herds or in splendid isolation. Life expectancy is several decades. The yak is endowed with expressive and memorable features:

male body length - 4.3 m;
the female reaches a length of no more than 3 m;
the tail grows up to 1 m long;
head set low;
because of the hump, the back seems to be sloping;
the height of the withers is 2 m;
weight reaches 1 t;
on the head are long, up to 95 cm, widely spaced horns, they are bent and directed in different directions;
body color dark brown or grayish black;
the coat is long, shaggy, almost completely covers the limbs.

Today it can be found not only in the highlands of Tibet, to which it has adapted, but also in other places on the planet. Yaks tolerate low temperatures well, thanks to their long hair they can tolerate frosts down to -35 ° C. They fell in love with the mountainous Pakistani and Afghan expanses, as well as farms in China and Iran, Nepal and Mongolia.

Single specimens are found in Altai and Buryatia. Due to the fact that a person captures the area of \u200b\u200btheir distribution, their number has significantly decreased. Today the yak is listed in the Red Book.

Important! A wild bull is one of the most dangerous and evil animals, capable of fighting with a person or other wild animal at any time.

Wherever the watussi bull appears, it attracts the attention of others. Its history goes back over 6 thousand years. They are also called "Bulls of Kings". The progenitors of the Watussi were already extinct bulls tours. This species became the basis of African cattle.
External characteristics:

weight of adult bulls - 700 kg;
cows grow up to 550 kg;
long round horns that grow up to 3.7 m in length;
the tail is long;
body color can be varied;
coat is short.

The structure of the digestive system makes it possible for these animals to eat very coarse and nutrient-poor food. Unpretentiousness in food allowed Watussi to spread in America, as well as in Ukraine (in the Crimea).

Did you know? Since ancient times, bulls and cows of this breed were considered sacred. They were never killed for meat. The owner was considered wealthy based on how much live cattle he had in his possession, since cows of this species give a lot of milk.

In addition, they have developed an instinct to protect young animals, when located for the night, adults lie in a circle, while the calves are in its center for safety.

Zebu is an Asian cow that has adapted to life in hot and humid climate. The homeland of these animals is South Asia. Consider what distinctive characteristics of zebu are known:

growth reaches a mark of 150 cm;
body length - 160 cm;
head and neck are elongated;
under the neck there is a noticeable fleshy fold;
on the back of the neck there is a large hump;
horns of various sizes and shapes;
the head is elongated with a convex forehead;
the weight of the bull is 900 kg, the cow is 300 kg lighter;
legs are high, which gives speed of movement;
the skin is dense, covered with sparse hairs;
the suit is light, light brown or white.

Animals feed on grass, thin branches and leaves. They can travel long distances in search of food. They live in regions with tropical and subtropical climate. Today, in addition to India, they can be found in Asia and Africa, in Japan, Korea, Madagascar, as well as in the USA, Brazil and other countries.

Gaur - wild bull from Nepal

Another name is the Indian bison, this is the largest representative of the genus of bulls, which has survived to this day. Gaur hails from South and South-East Asia. The description of the appearance of a wild bison consists of the following indicators:

body length - within 3 m;
tail length - up to 1 m;
height at the withers - up to 2 m;
there is a hump on the shoulders;
weight ranges from 600–1500 kg;
on the head are horns up to 1 m long;
wool is dyed in different colors, "white stockings" on the legs.

The geography of habitat includes India, Nepal, the Malay Peninsula and even Indochina. Favorite places are forest hills and grassy meadows. The animal is classified as a herbivore. Favorite food - green grass, however, when it is scarce, it can eat coarse and dry herbs, as well as leaves. Herds of gaurs can reach 40 individuals. They are dominated by an adult bull.

Today there is a decrease in the population in some parts of the range, this figure is 70%. The population is in decline as a result of uncontrolled hunting as well as the destruction of their habitat.

This buffalo is the largest on the planet. Its homeland is Africa. These animals live in the wild for about 16 years, they are gregarious. They are endowed with the following characteristics:

body length - 3.5 m;
grow in height by 1.8 m;
weight reaches 1 ton and more;
the body is muscular, the front is much larger than the back;
the head is large, set low;
on the head are huge horns that grow together and resemble a shell;
coat color is reddish;
legs are powerful, the front ones are stronger than the hind ones;
animals are endowed with good hearing, but poor eyesight.

The habitats of these bulls are savannahs, mountains and forests. They need in large numbers water. They feed on grass and leaves. During danger, they gather in a herd, young animals are placed in the center and run away. It is known that their speed can reach 57 km / h. Today, African buffalo live in South and East Africa. They need a lot of space near water bodies.

Did you know? Buffalo milk is better than cow's milk in terms of protein content. Its fat content is 8%. On average, one buffalo produces 2 tons of milk per year.

Asian (Indian) buffalo

The Asiatic buffalo is a relative of wild bison, yaks, and zebu. These are beautiful and powerful animals that fight with man for the right to life. Asian buffaloes - artiodactyl mammals, which belong to the bovid family and are endowed with the following characteristics:

the bull has a body length of 3 m;
its growth reaches 2 m;
weight is in the range of 800–1200 kg;
crescent-shaped horns are located on the head, the distance between them is 2 m;
the tail grows in length by 90 cm;
wool is coarse, sparse, brown;
limbs are high and strong.

The character justifies the appearance, as the buffalo of this breed is very ferocious. He fights well against predators. These bulls live in herds. There is no strict obedience in them. They feed on underwater and coastal vegetation, do it preferably in evening time days, and during the day they just like to sit in the water. 3 times already
helped

One of the largest herbivores in North America. The height of the body of the animal reaches 2 meters, and the length - up to 2.5 or even 3 meters. The front part of the bison's body is massive, clearly expressed, while the back part is much weaker, and there is less muscle mass on it. The chest, head and part of the back of the North American animal are covered with wool, often matted.

All bison are horned, but the horns are expressed in different ways. The animals have a short tail with a tassel at the end, the color is mostly brown, black, but there are also white, gray individuals. There are steppe and forest bison. The steppe wild bull is usually smaller than the forest bull at the same age, has more wool, the horns are hidden by bangs. Lesnoy is a direct descendant of Bison priscus, the primitive bison.

The wild North American bull loves spacious pastures, semi-desert plains and well-lit areas, forest glades. The mass of an adult male is more than a ton, females weigh much less. Within the species, zoologists distinguish another variety, the closest relative of the bison - the bison. Bison and bison interbreed among themselves, and their offspring - bison are used by populations different countries to work in the fields. For example, in India or Africa, fields are plowed with their help.

European bison

Another member of the wild bull family. It is very similar to the bison, but the head is more pronounced and has a smaller size. The European bison is the largest mammal in all of Europe. He is also the last representative of the genus of wild ancestors on the European mainland. The animal has a brown coat color, a powerful body (closer to a square shape), an elongated wool row along the spine from the withers and a short tail.

Bison are divided into Bialowieza and Caucasian. The Caucasian had a curly and thicker coat than the Bialowieza. Unfortunately, it was finally exterminated in 1927. Its Belovezhsky relative currently lives in European reserves and is protected by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

forest bull

The wild forest (forest tour) or Bos taurus primigenius lived in the steppe and forest-steppe regions of the Eastern Hemisphere. The closest relatives of their forest ancestor are now Ukrainian livestock. The forest tur died out as a result of active hunting and deforestation by man. The death of the last representative of this species occurred in 1627. Outwardly, the animal looked massive, its weight reached a ton, its height was 180 cm. The color of the males was black with a white stripe along the back, and the females were brown with a red tint.

They lived in forest tours in small groups or singly, only for the winter uniting in larger herds. Nowadays, scientists from the Ostwardersplasse reserve (Netherlands) introduced the Heck bull, which looks like a wild forest bull. Thanks to the efforts of zoologists-breeders, today we can see what the forest tour looked like in life.

Indian bull (Zebu)

It lives on the lands of India in the tropical and subtropical latitudes of the continent. Zebu belongs to an independent subspecies, not connected in any way with the tour. In India, these bulls are used for household needs - they perform the function of transport (harnessed to carts), assistants to farmers (plow the fields). Not only in India, zebu is held in high esteem, they are especially respected in Madagascar. There, the wild Indian bull is considered sacred.

In some regions of India, zebu are crossed with domestic cows, resulting in hardy hybrids that produce milk and have more strength than an ordinary cow. The average weight of such an animal is 600-800 kg, the surface of the body is smooth, there is a characteristic “hump” at the withers and a chest fold. Not only in India there are zebu, they are willingly kept by large zoos and reserves (for example, the zoo in Baku).

Gaur

The domesticated form of the gaur is the gayal (or mitun). In the same India, these animals are very popular. They differ from the gaur only in their smaller size and larger horns of an altered shape. Guyals can often be found walking freely on Indian streets or harnessed to a cart.

Video "American bison - the history of the species"

An interesting story from National Geographic about the life of bison in the wild, about the enemies of these wild bulls and how these heavyweights survive in nature.

The biggest wild bull in the world November 2nd, 2013

As a rule, herbivorous megafauna is presented as a group consisting of elephants, rhinos and giraffes. However, one of the most specific representatives of the megafauna is the Indian bull. Standing under 3 meters (10 feet), the gaur is truly a gigantic animal, and the largest wild cow in the world. This massive creature with truly huge horns can burst through the forests and fields of India, while sometimes destroying gardens.

This species is critically endangered, although it survives most threats and weighs up to 1,600 kg (3,500 lb). Among the megafauna that can cut their way through tropical vegetation, only elephants, rhinos or giraffes can be bigger and taller. The gaur is more docile than the African buffalo, but there are occasional human casualties. There was a case when a tiger attacked a gaura. Gaur literally tore the tiger in half.

Let's find out more about them...

Few wild bulls can compare with the gaur in beauty, strength and size. This is perhaps the most big bull world, and therefore the largest representative of the bovid family, both today and in prehistoric times. The 68 cm long gaur skull is larger than any giant bison skull. It is not only the largest and strongest, but also the most beautiful of the bulls.

Gaur is sometimes referred to as the Asiatic bison, and indeed, in his build, he is a bit like his American relative. Gaura is distinguished from other bulls by a very powerful physique, relief muscles and an impressive appearance.

If the appearance of an African buffalo can symbolize indomitable power, then the gaur personifies calm confidence and strength. The height at the withers of old males reaches 213 cm, weight -800-1000 kg. Thick and massive horns from the base are bent somewhat down and back, and then up and slightly inward. Their length in males reaches 100-115 spruce, and the distance between the ends is 120 cm. The forehead is wide, flat. Gaura females are much smaller, their horns are shorter and thinner. The hairline is dense, short, adjacent to the body, the color is brilliant black, less often dark brown, on the legs of the animals there are white “stockings”. Although the range of the gaur covers a vast territory, including India, Nepal, Burma, Assam and the peninsulas of Indochina and Malacca, the number of this bull is small. In fact, it survived only in national parks and reserves. Not only hunters are to blame for this, but also frequent epizootics of foot-and-mouth disease, plague and other diseases.

True, a strict ban on hunting throughout the entire territory and energetic quarantine supervision seem to have marked a certain turning point in the position of the gaur, and its numbers in last years increased somewhat. Gaur inhabits woodlands, preferring mountain forests up to 2000 m above sea level. However, he avoids solid forests with dense undergrowth and keeps in lighted areas near glades. However, gaura can also be found in the bamboo jungle, as well as on grassy plains with shrubs. He strongly avoids cultivated lands. The favorite food of the gaur is fresh grass, young bamboo shoots, and shrub shoots. He needs regular watering and bathing, but, unlike buffaloes, he does not take mud baths. Gauras graze early in the morning and before sunset, and sleep at night and at noon. Gauras are kept in small groups, which usually include 1-2 adult bulls, 2-3 young bulls, 5-10 cows with calves and teenagers. Along with this, groups consisting only of young bulls are not uncommon. Adult strong males often leave the herd and lead the life of hermits.

In the herd of gaurs, a certain order is always observed. The calves usually keep together, and the entire "kindergarten" is under the vigilant protection of mothers. The leader of the herd is more often an old cow, which, when the herd runs away, is in the head or, conversely, in the rearguard. Old bulls, as observations have shown, do not participate in the defense and do not even respond to the alarm signal, which sounds like a shrill snort. Hearing such a snort, the rest of the herd members freeze, raising their heads, and if the source of the alarm is established, the nearest animal emits a rumbling moo, according to which the herd assumes battle order. The gaur's method of attack is exceptionally interesting. Unlike other bulls, he attacks not with his forehead, but sideways, and lowers his head low and crouches somewhat on his hind legs, striking with one horn to the side. It is noticed that in old bulls one of the horns is noticeably more worn than the other. Zoologist J. Schaller believes that this style of attack developed from the usual posture of imposing and menacing for gaurs, when the animal demonstrates its huge silhouette in the most impressive foreshortening.

By the way, gaur fights, as a rule, do not go beyond demonstrations. The rutting period of the Gaurs begins in November and ends in March - April. Single males at this time join the herds, and fights are not uncommon between them. The peculiar invocative roar of the gaura during the rut is similar to the roar of stag deer and can be heard in the evening or at night at a distance of more than one and a half kilometers. Pregnancy lasts 270-280 days, calving occurs more often in August - September. At the time of calving, the cow is removed from the herd and in the first days is extremely cautious and aggressive. Usually she brings one calf, rarely twins. The lactation period ends at the ninth month of the calf's life. Gaurs willingly unite in herds with sambars and other ungulates.

They are almost not afraid of tigers, although tigers occasionally attack young animals. The special friendship of gaurs with wild chickens is described by the zoologist Olivier, who in 1955 managed to observe how a young rooster daily cleaned the festering, damaged horns of a female gaur for two weeks for two weeks. Despite the pain of this operation, the cow, at the sight of a rooster, laid her head on the ground and turned the horn towards the "nurse". Gayal is nothing but a domesticated gaur. But as a result of domestication, the gayal has changed a lot: it is much smaller, lighter and weaker than the gaur, its muzzle is shorter, the forehead is wider, the horns are relatively short, very thick, straight, conical. Guyale is more phlegmatic and calmer than gaur. At the same time, gayals are not kept in the same way as domestic cows in Europe.

They always graze in complete freedom, and when you need to catch a guy, they lure him in a piece rock salt or tie a cow in the forest. Gayal is used for meat, in some places it is used as a draft force, and among some peoples of South Asia it serves as a kind of money or is used as a sacrificial animal. Gayala cows often mate with wild gaurs.

Wild bulls: what descendants of these ancient animals exist in nature? The biggest bulls in the world

Characteristics of the genus real bulls

Habitat and distribution of real bulls

Classification of the genus real bulls

The sad fate of the horned giant

Bison is the closest relative of the aurochs

Wild bulls of North America

In the cold mountains of Tibet

Hot country lovers: gaur and buffalo

The smallest wild bull

Anoa

Gaur

Watussi

Yak

bison

Wild bull tour

The meaning of the word BISON in the Big Modern Explanatory Dictionary of the Russian Language

See also interpretations, synonyms, meanings of the word and what is BISON in Russian in dictionaries, encyclopedias and reference books:

North American bison

Catching wild bulls (video)

Majestic European bison

Resurrection of the forest bull

Indian zebu

Description of the first ancestor of the modern cow

North American bison

European bison

Yak - a wild bull with massive horns

Tamarau and Anoa

Tur - the extinct wild ancestor of the domestic cow

Wild bulls of our time

Yak

Gaur - wild bull from Nepal

Asian (Indian) buffalo

European bison

forest bull

Indian bull (Zebu)

Gaur

Video "American bison - the history of the species"